Point of Endurance Trilogy pt 2: Crimson Red
by Silver Vaporeon
Summary: (read 'Sapphire Blue' first) After escaping from the Labs again, Jess embarks on an adventurous journey with James to change her back. One wrong move and more than their lives could be put in danger. **FINALLY UPDATED!!! PARTS 5-8 ARE UP!**
1. Boris and Natasha

Crimson Red

Crimson Red

By Silver Vaporeon

Part II of the 'Point of Endurance' Trilogy

Disclaimer:No Pokèmon, no Pokèmon characters, No Sue(as in taking me to court). I own only the story and the characters **I **made(such as the scientists of Rocket Labs). But who cares about that? =P

_ _

*********

Chapter 1- Boris and Natasha 

The excited buzzing of the scientists filled the small room as they went about performing tasks.Xavier stood in the corner, holding a stack of memos and papers.

_This is just wrong…_ he said to himself.But who was to side with him? A lot of money was riding on this project and there was no way he could abandon the team in fear of his life and reputation.However, he couldn't but think of the many lives of both human and pokèmon that were destroyed while his reputation grew.He wondered how long it would take before he would snap.

*********

"Well, here we are," Mondo, said, parking the jeep in the back parking lot of Rocket Labs.Meowth scrambled out from beneath the burlap covering.His leg had healed and he started licking his fur to rid it of dirt.They had taken a long time getting to Viridian because Mondo still had a schedule to meet; delivering packages, seeing to other Rockets' needs and the like.It would be too obvious if he had suddenly disappeared.

"Master Meowth! Please stay inside!" Mondo waved to the feline.Meowth looked up. 

"What? And wait around when those two idiots are in danger? No way," Meowth waved a paw, as if to dismiss he thought.

"You are so persistent." Mondo sighed, but got out a spare box. He finally got Meowth to get and stay in, though Meowth had complained he was claustrophobic.Mondo placed the box on top of his other deliveries and started walking inside.

All went smoothly and after the last delivery was made, Mondo got himself a cup of coffee in the lounge.Xavier walked in with his stack of papers and sat down at a table.

"I hate doing paperwork for the project. It's always she's better this, she's worse that…a pokèmorph is a valuable addition to the team…what a horrible fate," he muttered under his breath.

Mondo's ears picked up on the word 'pokèmorph' and he went to sit at the table with his cup of coffee.He smiled and the two boys exchanged greetings, though Xavier's wasn't as eager. In fact, he looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"You know, I've heard a lot of talk about that project of yours while making deliveries.It seems rather interesting.Is it always as busy?" Mondo tried his best to sound casual while trying to pry for information.Xavier shook his head.

"Usually its not as busy, seeing we never really get any successes. Right now we've got a girl from the White Squadron division-as a volunteer-and she's seeming to be doing ok," Xavier said, seeing no harm in telling a seemingly dim-witted delivery boy information that he wouldn't understand.

"What exactly do you do in there? What is a pokèmorph?" Mondo asked, trying his best to give a slightly distracted impression.

"I really shouldn't be telling anyone this….I really think it is wrong but…I am an apprentice in Rocket Labs and they stuck me in that project."

"Really?" Mondo asked. "Is that why you are telling me this?" 

"Yeah, I guess I needed to tell someone or I would be bound to lose it completely… I would stop it if I had the chance.The girl's health isn't doing so well these days," Xavier said but then looked around quickly to the sides as if searching for spies. "But please don't tell anyone else that I said that. You know how things are around here."

Mondo nodded as his throat tightened. Jessie wasn't doing well? Where was James?

"I won't. But I need your help." Mondo leaned towards Xavier. Xavier put his ear close."Jessie isn't doing too well?"

Xavier's eyes went wide.This delivery boy knew the girl!How does he get himself into these things?

"I've said too much. I've got to go," Xavier made a move for the door but Mondo grabbed his wrist. 

"You tell on me, I tell on you and both of us would get fired," Mondo whispered through his clenched teeth as he tightened his hold on the other man's wrist.Xavier opened his mouth to shout for help but Mondo, being a bit experienced in restraining holds, quickly held him by the wrists with one hand and covered his mouth with the other."Listen to me.Jessie is in danger; she needs help. You said it yourself that this whole thing was wrong. Why not help us?"Mondo saw that Xavier stopped struggling, as he was thinking things over. Mondo released his hand from his mouth.

"Because Rebecca is dead." 

"What?" Mondo thought of his and Jessie's former instructor.Just a few years ago, he had the pleasure of seeing her take up being the head of the handle and care division of Rocket Labs; as her health was deteriorating.

Xavier's eyes had a pained expression in them."They knew that she had connections with Jessie from the past and called upon her. She refused, saying it was wrong and attempted to escape, knowing what saying no to Team Rocket meant.They caught and killed her so another could take her place and lure Jessie back after she escaped.Rebecca got me started in the Labs; the death is just too close for me…I can't meet the same fate.If they knew I had connections with you, and that you have connections with Jessie and James…" Xavier hung his head.

  
"James? What about him?" Mondo asked, feeling panic rise up again in him. 

"They captured him when he and Jessie came down to the labs after falling for the trap set up by Sarah, one of the main directors. He's in solitary confinement," 

"Ah-ha! I told you dat he was here!" Meowth leapt out of his box.

"Meowth! No! Get back in the box," Mondo made a movement with his head since he had both hands full with restraining Xavier, who had stopped struggling anyways.

"No.Meowth has al'eady been beaten, smashed and confined enough! I am gonna take charge for once," Meowth refused.

"We'll all get in major trouble with the Boss," Xavier pleaded. "I am only twenty-one. I am too young to die."

"Well I am only seventeen and both of my seniors are your age. What's your excuse now?"Mondo was getting a bit irritated.This guy was starting to remind him of…himself when he was younger.

"Well, Meowth's only four, so dere," Meowth crossed his arms.

"Four? A talking Meowth…hmm…could it be?"Xavier wondered.

"Huh? Be what?" Meowth was baffled. 

Xavier shook his head."I am sorry…I can't!I know its wrong but I also know that the most important life to me now is my own."

"Even more than Rebecca's had been to yours? She told us that the most important thing to the Team was the Team. If not for anyone else, do it for her so her efforts to protect Jessie have not been in vain," Mondo said.

*********

Jessie opened her eyes and saw only darkness.She was floating in the dark mass surrounding her;the viscosity being as thick as molasses.Amazingly, she could breathe. Was she human or pokèmon now?She looked at her arm.Human.She hugged her knees, seeing that she was unclothed and feeling slightly afraid though there seemed to be no one else around. She missed her old clothing and as if by magic, she was suddenly clad in her old pure-white Team Rocket uniform. 

_"Where am I? What is going on?" _she thought to herself._"Where is James?"_

_ _

_Sleep soon overcame her again.Minutes...days...years…it all seemed the same.How much time has it been?_

"Sir! There seems to be some difference in brain activity in the test subject," a scientist said to David, the second in command of the project.He adjusted his small glasses and looked at the computer readout. He merely blinked.

"She's merely getting used to the environment; still sleeping. No danger," he said, looking at the suspended form of the Flareon in the glass chamber.Jessie was still in deep sleep, with a mass of jumbled wires attached to various parts of her body.He was worried. She was responding to the actions used to enhance her abilities but her health seemed to be diminishing as if her heart was weak.Was she weaker than they had thought? What were they missing?He ran a hand across the glass.

Her eyes opened again. 

"Voices…they are coming from somewhere…but what are they saying? I know they are talking about me.But I am already awake. Where am I?" Jessie wondered.She missed the company of James and Meowth.It had been a while since she was totally alone and she didn't welcome its return.

Jessie turned around to see a glimmering in the darkness.Was it a star?Was she dead after all?

"They are talking about your progress," a clear female voice said.

"What…who areyou?" 

"My name is Natasha," the voice said and Jessie saw the image of a young woman, a few years older than her appear by her side in the garb of a scientist.A male around the woman's age appeared beside Natasha in the same form of clothing(for the male gender).Natasha introduced the man as Boris, her partner."Don't be alarmed, we are just like you."

"Like…me?" Jessie was confused. "Where are we? Am I dead?"

"No, we're in the Labs.They are comparing your progress to ours."

"Progress?" 

"Right. They are watching you.You don't seem to be doing well."

"What?!" They were watching her? She was still a captive?Jessie was infuriated.

"Don't be alarmed. You're still a pokèmon. The only reason you seem to be human is because you still see yourself as before you were changed.We are all asleep in a way; we see through our minds' eyes, which is why you see-as well as us- yourself in Team Rocket attire…the way you wish to look. Us; we prefer to be in lab coats."

"Did you…read my mind?" Jessie asked, surprised.Natasha explained that they were merely connected telepathically and that she was in a culture chamber like they had been in for the last twenty-some years, and that all of them were hooked to the same computer.Jessie asked them how they were able to communicate in this way but Boris just shrugged.He had been one of the scientists behind the project but his colleagues had turned on him and his partner.

"We really don't know.It's just always been this way. Some say these chambers are guarded by the spirits of Ai-Two and other pokèmon clones from the Mewtwo Project.We were moved here before the Labs on the Island blew up."

"Ai-Two? Mewtwo? Clones?" Where had she heard these all before? In any case, it didn't matter. "You said you were the same as me.What pokèmon forms did you take?".

Boris answered, "Both of us were alike in personality; with sharp minds and a habit for having big mouths. But we were pretty normal folks, thus we are both Meowths; members of the Normal Type.Course, its hard to tell we are pokèmorphs since most Meowths naturally have blue eyes."

Natasha's eyes began to water."I was pregnant when they transformed me and when I gave birth, I could not bear to have my son suffer the wrath of the Labs.I escaped, hoping to raise him myself; but the Dan'in were soon after me.I placed him in a clothesbasket near a well-lit house.Someone was bound to pick him up, I thought.I only hoped for the best as it started to rain and they caught me by the road."She wiped away a glittering tear.

Jessie grew curious. "Your son…would he have the ability to talk? If he knew how I mean."

"I do not see why he could not.He would be technically a human in a Meowth's body," Boris replied, a bit puzzled at her question.

Jessie knew for sure now but she didn't say. "Can you tell me how they turned us into pokèmon? Is there a reversal ?"


	2. The Phoenix Revived

Chapter Two- The Phoenix Revived 

**Chapter Two- The Phoenix Revived **

James was wasting away.A whole week had passed since he was captured and thrown into solitary confinement.They didn't bother to chain him but he was held fast anyways by his own guilt.During this time he had been alone to drown in his shame and thinking how he could have fell for such a trap.How could he have betrayed Jessie twice in less than three weeks?

One part of him told him to slit his wrists.The other part of him told him to not give up.The two parts of him battled within him.One time the internal battle got so intense that at night he had woken up brandishing a dull knife (from his meals) at an invisible enemy and another time, he had discovered he had been unconsciously grazing his neck with it.James couldn't even help but think what would happen if he had stabbed himself with it.He was scared and terrified to the point that he couldn't even cry anymore.His tears had been used up long ago.

The handcuffs that still clamped onto his left wrist offered more guilt than anything; it reminded him of the sorrow bound to him, no matter how hard he tried to think happy thoughts.He could try to push memories away but they were always still there just like the handcuff, which seemed to be the physical embodiment of all his guilt and emotional pains.

James' hand reached into his pocket where the locket still lay; the only thing they had not confiscated from him. They had meant to leave it with him to torment him with guilty memories.However, it had been his [only] physical comfort during his imprisonment and perhaps it was what was holding him back.His fingers curled around the smooth surface thatwas almost as smooth as Jessie's human face had been.

The memory of Jessie nearly sent James into a torrent of tears that he didn't know he still had.His mind was in turmoil of crazed thoughts.He clutched the locket tightly, pleading to himself to regain a clear thought.Anything…anything…

Someone was screaming loudly somewhere._How pitiful his screaming is, _James thought to himself._His scream is so full of anguish and sorrow._

"Hey! Will you shut up in there?"a shadowy guard growled as he walked past the barred window.Only then did James realize **he** had been the one screaming.He hit his head against the concrete wall and he let go of the locket, feeling a pain in his hand from holding it tightly. He had clutched onto it so tight the gemstone left a distinct impression in his palm. 

"I have to stop thinking like this. This is getting me nowhere." James stood up and looked out the window.The guard had left and James was left alone in the semi-darkness."I need to find Jessie! That's what I came here for and that is what I am going to do. Ican't just curl up and die with my tail between my legs!" James had never felt more energetic since the whole 'James the Mighty Moltres' stunt. He patted his pocket, feeling silly to know the locket helped him boost his confidence a bit.He backed up and rammed the door several times with no success. "One...last…tiiimme!" he shouted as he ran as hard as he could, preparing his shoulder to ram the door clear off the hinges like he did once before with the storage room door.

The door opened and James crashed into the wall in front of him.

"Sorry, James-sempai," Mondo sweatdropped.James fell to the ground, slightly dazed.

"But Ebbee Jeshee…I didn't dwink it all…dose girls gave 'em to me…" James slurred. 

"James, we've got to get moving now," Mondo hissed. "The guard might come back any minute now."

Seeing that James was still spouting nonsense, Meowth fury swiped him and James snapped back to reality again and punched Meowth into the wall.

"Where is she?" he asked.Xavier looked nervously around. James finally noticed Xavier and pinned him to the wall. "Where is she, you scum?" he hissed.Xavier glanced nervously around, avoiding the cold glare in James' eyes.Xavier wondered if he had lost his mind.Why was he helping this psycho, he wondered nervously.

"No, James! That is Xavier! He's going to help us get Jessie back," Mondo explained. James reluctantly let go of his captive."Now…we've got to calm down and no running off by yourself this time."

"Well…where do we go?"Meowth asked.Xavier pointed to a doorway.

"This way!Leads right to the Labs." 

"Great. Now...how do we get her outta dere again?" Meowth asked as they ran up the stairs.James hurried alongside Xavier with his handcuff banging against his body in time with his heartbeat.


	3. Jusenkyo

Chapter 3- Jusenkyo

Chapter 3- Jusenkyo 

"…it was a brilliant plan," Boris said. "All Team members would have the ability to change into a pokèmorph and back into a human during missions.We found the essential ingredients in a rather ridiculous idea of a place. We did not even know if the place truly existed. Have you ever hear of Jusenkyo, Jessie?"

"It sounds familiar," Jessie replied, thinking of the weird comic books she read as a child featuring a teenager by the name of Ramna Saotome. "Isn't that the legendary cursed training grounds full of cursed springs?"

"Yes, I am glad you know of the place I am talking about; it saves a lot of time. As you know, it is located in the mountains, inthe Quing Hai Province in China.As you have mentioned, falling into one of its many cursed springs would turn you into whoever-or whatever- drowned there last.Of course, the transformation only happens when you are doused with cold water and then it is reversed with hot water until the next time..."

"You mean to tell me that place is **real**?" Jessie gasped."Was Ramna Saotome a true victim of the springs?" 

"Perhaps, perhaps not.I have never heard of him.In any case, Team Rocket scouts found the location of the springs and among the various springs for people and animals, there were ones for drowned pokèmon.It took months, perhaps years, but they eventually found the Spring of Drowned Ditto, the amorphous blob-like pokèmon with the ability to shape-shift into any form."

"I don't understand.If water from the Spring of Drowned Ditto was used, wouldn't I still be half human? Would I need to take a hot bath to change back? But that wouldn't work since Xavier-the assistant- told me they couldn't figure out how to change people back,"Jessie spouted out.

"Yes, it is true we used the water from the cursed spring, but we also added Ditto DNA to the solution - to cancel out the hot/cold water treatment, thus the subject is supposed to change forms at their own will.Now, before you ask why we simply didn't use the Ditto DNA by itself, it is because of the rate of rejection the human body has towards it.It was just too high.However, the water of the cursed springs cannot be rejected."

"But were we required to drink the solution or did they inject it into us? Or did they submerge us into it?" Jessie asked again.

"I really can not say for sure.Many methods have been tested and it is quite random how a person responds to each method," Boris said."In addition, the DNA of the intended member was taken and mixed in with a non-reactive gel to insure stability.So in a way, you are a human Ditto who takes on only the form of a pokèmon of the type you most represent and only that one. 

"We don't know why, perhaps it is just a fluke.Obviously, you are most representative of the fire type, explaining why you are in the form of a Flareon.I've heard your name often enough in the Labs for years.You are a stubborn, fiery young woman, aren't you? Flareon do tend to be hard to train and are always fashionable, licking and combing their tufts of hair into different, distinct styles.Of course, you did not have a choice about it.It all depended on your true nature how you would turn out, just as how people turn out in the end." Boris pauses, seeing Jessie was becoming a bit impatient and he decides to move on."We found out how to get people to transform; we just never found out how to unlock the secrets of changing the subject back into a human."

Jessie's mind was full of questions and it was hard to keep herself from asking them all at once.It was hard enough to comprehend most of the incoming information as it was and the buzzing that had started a while before did not make it any better.Without warning, Jessie clutched her head and screamed with pain. 

~

"Did Jezebelle get our message yet?" Sarah asked.David shook his head.

"The servants at the manor replied that she's on a trip in France; out of contact at the moment. She won't be back for some time," David replied.

"So…we just keep Jessie alive until then?"

"I guess. But who said we had to merely keep her alive? I want to see how far we can push the subject…seeing if she is able to change back on her own," David exclaimed. "We'd get quite a raise, don't you think?"

"Uh-huh…" Sarah said, a bit bored. "And you say this while she's building up her pokèmon powers. You do know that Jezebelle's team tried this before with one and the subject died under the strain."

"Well, it would be quite a breakthrough if my theories are correct. I've already given her some medication to help her bear it." David reached to the dial and turned up the power of the device.A sudden shattering of glass turned both scientists' attention to the indoor window behind them.

~

The endless buzzing in Jessie's brain was becoming unbearable and it took all her mental strength to keep it from driving her mad.All Natasha and Boris could do was to watch their friend tumble into the depths of despair.Without warning, Jessie cried aloud, her choked sobs clawing their way into the empty void around her.Her body racked with sobs as she started to feel the buzzing nudge its way into her mind and an immense, unexplainable, bitter sadness choking her heart.The pain in her heart was the worst to feel, as if her heart was going to rip apart into thousands of fragments, unable to withstand the wretched emotions.Her very soul was dying within her.Death would be most preferable to this torture, which was pushing her to the point of endurance. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and floated off in the dark mass like glittering diamonds.

**"Jessie!"** a voice called out.The voice gave her strength and she started fighting back again for her life though not knowing why.

"Hang in there, Jessie…" Boris whispered. Natasha squeezed Boris' arm tightly.

Then the buzzing stopped altogether and Jessie slumped down, mentally exhausted and still half-sobbing.

The buzzing did not return. She then heard the seal at the top of her chamber open and felt a cool breeze as air rushed in.Bubbles surrounded her as she felt herself being lifted as if by a pair of invisible hands. 

_What is happening? Where am I going_?She thought.

**"Jessie! Thank God you are still alive!"** the voice called again closer this time.

"You are going to be in safe hands now, Jessie.Good luck.Remember what we've told you," Boris smiled.

Boris' last message echoed with hope and courage.He and Natasha faded from view.Jessie smiled weakly before she was plunged into darkness yet again.

*********

"Is she alright? Jessie? Can you hear me?" James said in a panicky voice.

"Will ya shut up already?" Meowth asked, checking to see if Jessie and James' pokèmon were intact in their pokèballs (he had found them in the Labs). "Its gonna take a while before she wakes up, you know dat."

Xavier looked nervously behind him though no one was chasing after them.Escaping from the Labs wasn't easy but they had finally managed to escape using Xavier's Pidgeot and Mondo's Ditto and the fact that the scientists weren't able to get so close to them due to James' frenzied swinging of his hand-cuffed arm at them; not wanting to get hit.They sat in the depths of a small forest in the world of Kanto, hidden in the shadows of the foreboding figures of the trees.

Mondo had quietly prepared something for the party to eat and everyone ate in silence.Xavier had warned them that Jessie needed to wake up on her own to insure her own safety.

"James, can't you eat anything right?"Meowth groaned as he ate his own shaved ice flavored with a strawberry sauce.James had an odd expression on his face as he bit into his own ice treat for he had poured soy sauce onto his portion instead of the sweet juice-like sauce. His face turned a bright mauve color and he started coughing up the nasty-tasting ice.

"So what are you going to do now, Xavier?" Mondo asked as he handed James a bottle of water.

"I really don't know. All I know is that I have to go back to Team Rocket," Xavier sighed. 

"I suppose that is true. They didn't see our faces…but…what if they suspect you?" Mondo replied.

"Then I'll figure something out.It might be for the best. As of now, I don't know you."Xavier got to his feet and called out his Pidgeot before mounting. "You might want to make your way towards Jezebelle's manor.It might be of use," he said.

"What? You've got to be kidding! How would that help? I spent my whole life trying to get away from her!" James yelped in fear and without thinking. 

"She has her own team of scientists who help our Team with this Project.There might be things of use there.I must be going."And with that, Xavier took to the skies.James and Mondo watched the figures of him and his Pidgeot disappear into the distance.

Meowth handed James the four pokèballs as he heard a faint moan and turned around to see Jessie open her tired blue eyes.


	4. Who's in charge here?!

Chapter 4- Who's in Charge Here

Chapter 4- Who's in Charge Here?! 

"Jessie!" James scooped his friend up and whirled her around. "Are you hurt? Are you ok?"

"Flare…" Jessie smiled weakly.James looked to Meowth.

"She says dat she's ok," he translated.

"Jessie-sempai! We are so glad!" Mondo cried out with joy, his heart fluttering.

James laughed with happiness; still whirling his life-long friend around and then pressed her close to his chest in a great big hug.Jessie suddenly found herself unable to breathe until he finally let her down when she nipped him.Hungry, she walked over to Mondo who gave her some lunch after she pawed the food basket.

"Well, she's fine an' dandy, so whatta we do now?"

"We should cover some ground; put some more distance between us and any other Rockets. Maybe I can settle down, get a house, Jessie can be a pet…" James started.Jessie scowled at him and stomped on his boot in her usual fashion, which James didn't even feel.Noticing this, Jessie turned away from the group, deeply upset.

"You know…we should get Jessie back to herself. She's just not happy as a pokèmon," Meowth said.Mondo nodded in agreement but he knew that James would not set a foot near his former fiancée. He asked aloud how they could do so.Meowth could only shrug his shoulders but his feline eyes focused on James."James…" he started with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"What?" he started but he saw Meowth's calculating gaze and shook his head violently. "Oh, no. I am NOT going near that witch for anything!" 

"Not even for your long-time friend?" Meowth asked.

"Sempai,I think you are very unreasonable. Jessie-sempai's condition cannot be helped unless we get information-," Mondo started.

"Then you go get it! I am not going anywhere! Why do you need me?!" James sat down.A second later he knew why they needed him to get the information and perhaps the cure.James caught himself being selfish again.His facial expression softened and one of sorrow replaced the one of fear and rage.He felt the locket within his pocket and knew why he had to do it. "…I am the only one whom she's after and the only one who knows his way…is that why? So it's my fault after all…and I can't live my life with that kind of guilt."

Meowth nodded without comment. "So, what's the plan?"

James bent down and fastened the locket around Jessie's neck where it belonged.He looked up at Mondo and started announcing his plans. 

"I should go alone to Jezebelle's manor near the Seafoam Islands to get information. After all, I am probably the only one she is after…and…" James stuttered for a moment before continuing. "You told me that you, Meowth, were sought after by those two Grunts, Terry and Clark.Mondo- I think you told me- that no one suspects you (Mondo nodded that this was true). Thus I believe that Meowth should stick with Mondo who would hide him well and I shall go alone to that witch's house," James breathed heavily, knowing what responsibility he had upon his shoulders.

"James…what about Jessie? Does she come with me too? I'd be more than happy to keep her at my cabin along with Meowth," Mondo replied, already knowing the answer.James shook his head.

"No.Hiding one pokèmon might barely get by.You know as well as I do that having more than two personal pokèmon is prohibited in Team Rocket.Meowth would be easier to hide because about everyone knows about your love for cat pokèmon like Meowth.You can easily say that it is your Ditto in Meowth form or that you traded your Ditto or Taruos for a Meowth of your own.In any case, suddenly having the possession of a blue-eyed Flareon is a dead giveaway for the occasional Rocket who wanders into your cabin without knocking," James said.

"Then what are you planning to do, Jim?" Meowth asked.Jessie finished her lunch and hopped over to James' side.James knew what she was thinking and pushed her gently away.

"No, Jess. You can't come with me. That would be even more obvious than this."He showed her the handcuff, which was still attached to his wrist.It was impossible to get it off now.Jessie scowled and used flamethrower directed at his arm.James yelped and drew his hand quickly to see the cuff fall off.Apparently, Jessie's boosted power came with the knowledge of some of her attacks.She had only aimed at two places of James' handcuff, which enabled it to fall off. Gaping, he stared at Jessie who looked at him smugly.James rubbed his free wrist and composed himself."Thanks, but you're still not coming with me, Jess.I know you want to get back at Jezebelle but you'll put us in even more danger."

"FLARE!" Jessie jumped up and down."Flare! Flareon! Flare!" 

"Jess…we's just rescued ya from da Labs. Xavier can't help us anymore; he's al'eady helped to rescue yaan' just left befores ya woke up," Meowth explained to Jessie.She uttered more angry barks."No, we're not gonna abandon ya, Jess."

"I've made up my mind.Jessie, you're not coming with me," James said.

**Who ever made you in charge you-…!**

"What did she say, Meowth?"

"Who evvaa made youse in charge…err…Ah prefw'r not ta translate da rest, James…"


	5. Boat Ride

Oh wow. Look at that! SV has decided to put up more of the fanfic that has been collecting dust. I am terribly sorry about the wait. I really had no idea that people were still waiting for this fic to be continued.  I had about half of it done and then….I burned out. Then I started "The Prince of Roses"(::gag at title::) due to lack of ability to edit and sorta got side-tracked. Anyways, this is the "new" part that has been growing mold…in fact, it's so old that you can tell my style of writing has changed since then . Enjoy…and so sorry yet again.  u_u;   10-09-02 

*****

Crimson Red ; Part II of the Point of Enduance Trilogy

By Silver Vaporeon

Chapter 5- Boat Ride 

"Take care of her, ok?" James bade the friendly old lady farewell. 

"I will, young man," the old lady bowed as James made his way out the door.  Jessie scowled and wriggled in the lady's arms.  After a long time, James finally agreed to take Jessie along but to her surprise and disgust, he had dropped her off at the Daycare Center that he just left.  The old lady brought Jessie up close and smiled sweetly.  "Aren't you just the cutest little blue-eyed pokèmon? Oh! And that blue locket is just adorable-wibble!"  

Jessie's scowl deepened.  Just like everyone else who didn't know her as a human, she was treated just as her physical appearance suggested: like a pokèmon.   No, it was worse; a **baby** pokèmon.  She had grown a bit in the Labs(all successful pokèmorphs started out as tiny infant-like pokèmon and grew to adult size as they matured) but it wasn't enough to give the impression that she was an adult.  

The lady carried her to the backyard where several other pokèmon were wandering about.  Jessie was placed on the ground and she looked back at the old lady who was still smiling sweetly at her.  It was enough to make her sick.  She was being treated just like a two-year-old.  

"Go and make some friends, Jenshi!" she said before heading back inside to take care of paperwork.  Apparently James had quickly came up with another name for Jessie just in case a Rocket happened to wander by and ask for names.  In a pinch he had given Jessie his old childhood friend's name.  Jessie sighed and went to the shade of the cherry tree by the small pond and lay down.   

**_There's got to be a way out of here_**_, _She thought.  No way was she going to stick around where she was treated with less respect than a child.  And James? To hell with his thoughts! He was not going to go without her.  He'd get lost, scared, wet his pants and change his mind within ten minutes without her, she thought.  Something tapped her on the shoulder and she looked backwards to see a lovesick Onix.  Realizing she was the object of his adoration, Jessie squeaked and backed away.  The Onix followed with little pink hearts in his eyes.  

**_Look, pal! I am defiantly NOT your type!_**  She growled. The Onix said thickly that any hot gal was his type. Jessie rolled her eyes. Perhaps this was that squinty-eyed twerp's Onix; she wouldn't have been too surprised.  Still backing up, Jessie saw a small hole in the fencing behind the pond.  Seeing her chance, she dashed past the Onix, leaped over the pond, wriggled though the hole and was out of the yard before the lovesick pokèmon could even blink in surprise.

********

James walked down the street in his civilian clothing and dark stylish sunglasses. His hair was in a rather short ponyta-tail and he carried a large duffle bag with him containing food and supplies. He took a last look behind him towards the forest and sighed.  Each step he took seemed to be taking him to his doom and he was probably right. Maybe the only reason he was doing this was because of guilt.  

_Guilt?_ He thought.  _No…it's something else. Jessie is my friend. Yeah.  Or could it be that I truly-?_

He shook his head to clear the thought before it reached his mind. Out of love? Hah!  He nearly laughed at the half-thought.  Mondo was pulling his leg for sure when he said that Jessie loved him; something to pull him out of his slump, wasn't he?  Why would a self-sufficient, gorgeous gal like her fall for a wimpy, moronic loser such as himself?  He dismissed the thought and moved on.

Then another thought hit him.  Was the reason relating from the brutal Team Rocket training he had received as a recruit from his merciless instructor who had told him to never admit or feel any emotions?  Was the reason he wouldn't believe he loved her was because he believed that she didn't love him? Or was he unconsciously trying to protect himself from heartbreak? James shook his head again and continued walking.   As he passed through the gates of Vermillion City, he failed to notice a little shadow following him; a shadow with sapphire blue eyes and a body of crimson red.  

*********

James half-fell into the wicker chair seated next to the café table outside underneath the canopy and let the duffle bag fall onto the ground.  The plastic strands of the chair creaked under the sudden weight and James leaned back to give out an audible sigh.  He had made it to the edge of Vermillion Harbor and he was thoroughly exhausted.  Mondo had neglected to pack any drinks so he had decided to stop at the Quagsire café to get something to drink and perhaps for a snack; he wasn't going to waste his own supplies when he could always skip on the bill.  

"A ham sandwich and some iced tea please," he said to the waitress who bowed slightly and left to fill his order.  James wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around, nibbling on one of the breadsticks that were already at the table.  Several people were around but all were either busy eating or chatting.  It seemed about mid-day and the heat was at its highest.  James finally noticed the background music was his song: 'Lucky Lucky'.   His food and drink soon came. The unsweetened iced tea was soothing relief to his parched throat.  He finished off the drink and began eating his sandwich de.  He heard the chairs behind him being moved around and people seating themselves.  James ignored the sounds of the café and continued eating.  

"You really think that cat has gotten to him?" a female voice said.

"If I know that cat, I'd say that he's gotten to him and both of them are on the run," a deep male voice replied.

"If I didn't think we'd get a promotion for this, I'd tear both of their throats out after that humiliating speech the head honcho of the Dan'in gave to us," the first voice said angrily and the sound of cracking breadsticks could be heard.  

"Now, now, Terr.  We don't want to create a scene," the man said.

"Yeah…maybe I should just kill that Jessie and her idiot partner James after we get promoted. I'd kill them and their mangy cat too!" Terri snarled as she slapped the table hard enough to make everything on it rattle.

James choked on the piece of sandwich he had been eating.  After he dislodged the mouthful, he gulped in air in shuttered gasps.  He took out a small pocket mirror from his pocket and aligned it so he could see the two figures behind him.  He nearly screamed in alarm.  Right behind him were Terri and Clark! He had only seen them from a distance before but it was defiantly them.  They had lost interest in watching him choke and had gone to gazing at their menus.  Apparently, they didn't recognize him so he sighed to himself.  There was still a chance to sneak away.  

He quietly got up from the table and picked up his duffle bag; not wanting to spend another second near the two.  However, he did not watch where he was going and bumped right into a waiter carrying a stack of dirty china plates and silverware.  The plates shattered and the silverware clattered as they hit the ground and in the process of running into the man, James' sunglasses were knocked off.  The spectacle had attracted everyone's attention and emerald green met dirty teal.  

"You!" Terri cried out the same instant she had recognized the young man.  James cursed aloud and started running without stopping to pick up the expensive sunglasses, which were immediately trodden on by the two Rocket Grunts as they ran after him.

"Hey! Hey! Who's going to pay for all this?!" the waiter cursed at the three running off.

James' heart pounded with fear as he ran for his life.  He ran towards the harbor, hoping to find a large crowd to get lost in.  To his despair, there were hardly any people in front of him and there was no wandering Officer Jenny around.  Wait a second, he thought.  I can't go to the police. The police are after me! And who could he ask for help?

Behind him, Terri pulled out a pokèball and threw it in front of her.  James felt his feet suddenly bound together and he fell to the ground.  He frantically tried to crawl forward but it seemed like whatever bond his feet together was pulling him backwards unlike the usual foot restraints the Rockets used.  He reached to his belt to send out a pokèmon but he found his arms suddenly tied behind his back.   James looked behind him to see Terri and Clark smiling smugly at him and an Ivysaur glaring at him evilly at him, holding him back like a fish on a fishing rod with its vine whip.  He gave up going forward, knowing that the pokèmon would hold him tighter than a barnacle on a rock but he continued to thrash around all the same.

"Now then," Clark stepped forward. "Ivysaur! Stu-"

But he was interrupted by a huge roar of flame.  The Ivysaur was caught in the blast and it gave a small cough before fainting and loosening its grip on James.  Terri recalled her pokèmon muttering something under her breath.  The vine vanished from James' ankles and he stood up, bag in hand.  "What the-"  Terri exclaimed.  

"FLARE!" 

James gasped as he caught sight of his fire-nymph with the locket around her neck.  She had followed him! Jessie had followed him!  Her ears were flattened against her head, her back was arched as if ready to spring, her teeth were clenched and her fur was all on end.  She was poised to strike and set to kill. Not even a Dragonite would want to take on an enraged Jessie and that was when she did not have the ability to spit fire.  Terri and Clark were in utter shock.  They hadn't had any information given to them about her capture not to mention her second escape with James.  However, they composed themselves quickly, recognizing her locket.

"Jessie, isn't it? This is even better," Terri chuckled.  She reached towards her belt and took out another pokèball.  James grabbed his bag and flung out Weezing's pokèball and commanded it to use smokescreen and to hold the two off as long as it could before rejoining him.  He scooped Jessie into his arms and ran.  Ignoring Jessie's yowling and scratching, James ran further into the harbor.  It was quiet during this time of year.  The St. Anne II had set sail a while ago; everyone is gone, he suddenly remembered.  The boats in the harbor were basically all out at sea and the ones still sitting there were not fast enough to outmaneuver a floating ice cube or looked as if they wouldn't hold the weight of a feather.  

"EON!" Jessie screamed.  

"What?! We need to get away now, Jess! I know you want revenge but this is not-" James started but Jessie slipped out of his arms and hopped onto his head.  At this point she was slightly bigger than an average Pikachu and barely weighed a thing, just like in her human form.  She used her paw to swat him on the head and attempted to turn it to the left.  A middle-aged man was there, untying the rope holding his adequate-sized boat to the pier.   "Got it!" James thanked Jessie and he started running towards their getaway boat with Jessie holding fast to his head.  

"Sir! Sir! We need this boat!" he cried as he ran near.  The man looked up in surprise.  Jessie recognized him at once but couldn't quite remember why he was so familiar.  

"Now, look here, I just don't give a ride to complete strangers and-"

"Please, sir! The Rockets are after us!"  James pleaded and pointed to the emerging dots behind them, knowing that about everyone else outside the organization itself feared and hated the Rockets.  The man nodded and he quickly untied the rope, threw it aside, and ran inside to drive the boat away from the harbor at full speed.  

Terri and Clark weren't going to let them get away that easily and pulled out a miniature watercraft and expanded it to eight times its condensed size so that it was as big enough to accommodate the both of them.  They soon were chasing after the boat, and up to the back of the boat.  Clark held the craft steady as Terri took out a harpoon crossbow and shot a harpoon towards the target.  The sharp point dug into the wooden railing of the boat and James knew what was coming next.   Seeing no sign of Weezing yet,  he switched to his other pokèmon.

"Victreebel!  Razor Leaf Attack!" he ordered.  The pitcher plant pokèmon first went for his head but James smacked her hard.  Victreebel reconsidered and launched out several razor-sharp leaves, which cut through the steel cord attached to the harpoon.  Sensing that they had a hold on the boat, they had decelerated so the cord would tighten and they could climb aboard.  The sudden deceleration caused the watercraft to flip over and as the boat speeded away, James couldn't help but laugh in triumph.

Terri and Clark surfaced, hacking up seawater they had taken in.  Terri glared at the boat disappearing into the distance.

"Damn you, bastard! I'll get you and that damn bitch if it's the last thing I do!" she screamed and cursed and when she could not find any more things to curse them with, she flicked them off. 

"Calm down, Terr.  At least we something." He held up a new pokèball containing a new pokèmon.


	6. Ryan

**And yes, I am updating some more. Still old new stuff.  Yes, I am the laziest updater in the world. Forgive me. _-_  -SV ****10-09-02******

**********

**Crimson Red ; Part II of the Point of Endurance Trilogy**

**By Silver Vaporeon**

**Chapter 6-** **Ryan**

Soon the harbor disappeared behind them with James' fears of the two pursuers.  James sighed, took his damp hair out of its ponytail, and slumped down into one of the two seats in the designated sitting area. Jessie looked outside behind them, hissing with agitation.  She had wanted to fight that time but she knew in her heart that James was right in abandoning a battle.  Though her tension had gone away long ago, there was still a lagging feeling in her heart that she finally noticed.  She had regarded it as a lonely feeling back when she was captured by the Labs but she had James now.  Why was her heart feeling like it had a lead weight in it?

 The boat slowed down and soon was just riding on the waves.  The man came inside the cabin and shook hands with James. 

Jessie looked him over again.  He was at least in his mid-fifties and he had long dark blue hair tied in a tail-tail as well as a blue mustache.  He sat down into the other seat and smiled as he offered some coffee to James.  As the two humans talked, Jessie finally remembered where she saw this man.  It was the surfer dude with the blue-eyed Pikachu!  That would mean…

"Pika." 

Jessie nearly jumped with fright.  She whirled around and came face to face with the aged Pikachu, Puka- or rather Ryan, one of the former top Rockets and first experimental success in metamorphosis.  

**You…You're Ryan!**

**Who? What?,** Puka/Ryan was startled.  As a pokèmon, he heard Jessie's normal voice talking to him.  He recognized her voice and started to build up electric power.

Jessie shook her head violently. **Wait! I am not here to harm anything or anyone! You don't have to pretend; they got me too.  Are you Ryan or not?**

Puka/Ryan stopped charging up and relaxed.  He sighed and nodded. **Yes, I was Ryan. Are they still experimenting on Rockets?**

**Yes**

**I was afraid of that. I managed to escape but two others; their names were Boris and Natasha didn't make it.**

**I know, I've met them down at the labs.  They're still alive and well.  How did you get out here?**

James and the surfer, Victor(from the Seafoam Islands) stopped talking for a moment and watched the two blue-eyed pokèmon talking.  Victor looked at Jessie and smiled.  

"I wonder what they're talking about but I do know you two probably have a very special connection," Victor said.

"Hmm…" James looked out the port window and then did a double take.  "It's you!" He recognized Victor as well, although he had never seen him at the Seafoam Islands when he had stolen Puka(Ryan) and Pikachu.  It was from an old family portrait that was stored in a closet in his old home.  "You're the man in my family portrait! I was only like two or three years old and you had a Pikachu with you!"  

"Really…family portrait…" Victor leaned back and thought a while.  "Would you be by any chance my brother's son? Jameson Eric-Kojiro Rochester?"

James cringed at hearing his full name aloud. "Yes, that would be me-and it is just plain James," he said.  "How come I never saw you again after that portrait? I mean…I don't remember it but you never visited."

Victor looked off out the porthole. "I am a surfer by nature and hated the life of the affluent people.  Sure, you've got your money, but when you're THAT rich…you've got way too many obligations.  Your father basically hated me after I announced that I was going to devote my life to surfing and we never had any communication with each other after your third birthday.  Seems to me that they didn't like the way I coughed.  'Not proper,' they said and made me get out."

"Sounds like me," James laughed softly. 

"Hmm…so what have you been doing since then?" Victor asked.  James did not want to mention Team Rocket at the moment so he started to invent a story about his life during the last nineteen or so years.

**…I had escaped during a storm and was swept out to sea.  A piece of driftwood floated my way so I hopped aboard and basically surfed on the huge waves.  I believe it was the time of the Humungadunga when I had escaped because I was pounded by tidal waves from every direction.  You wouldn't believe how exhausted and hungry I was.  Several days later, I found myself drifting to land-the ****Seafoam****Islands****.  **

**A young man was sitting forlorn-that's Victor who's sitting over there- on the beach and I cried out to him.  He saw me and I surfed a bit closer before jumping into his arms, exhausted and falling asleep.  I found myself in his beach house and lived with him since.  He feeds me and talks to me like a normal lonely human being and I helped boost his confidence in surfing.  I guess the kid grew onto me and so I stayed; safe from Rockets for life and surfing every wave that came our way. **

**But does he know that you're really Ryan, sempai?**  Jessie asked, taking to regarding him as an upperclassman. 

**Nah.****  He's gotten good at understanding me but that's when I talk slow and in simple phrases.  A simple 'Pika pika' or a 'Chu'; that's as far as we needed to go since he's still thinking of me as a normal Pikachu- a rare one but still just a pokèmon. **Ryan explained.

**Well, that guy there is my partner James and he knows about me.  You'd think he would understand me? **Jessie asked, eager to know.****

**Well…they do say that a pokèmon and human will understand each other when they maintain a certain bond.  Knowing that Team Rocket partners are trained to know their other's every possible move and thought, I'd say he might if he tried hard enough to listen.  You're the one who captured me a year or two ago, weren't you? The ones with the Gyarados submarine?**

**Err…yes. I am afraid so, sempai.  If I had known, I would have not caught you and regarded you as a higher-ranking official.   **Jessie then remembered something.  **If we are basically human dittos, indirect victims of the springs of Jusenkyo, isn't it possible to turn back with hot water?**  She had asked this question before but she had hoped the answer would be different.  Ryan shook his head sadly.  

**I know you probably haven't had a hot bath because you are of the fire type but I'll show you anyways.** Ryan walked to the bathroom onboard.  

"Jessie?" James asked.  Jessie barked in reply and followed Ryan.  "You ok with Jessie running around?"  Victor shook his head. "Its fine."

Ryan walked inside the small bathroom and pointed to the small shower in the corner.  Pulling on a special cord, which reached down to his height, he sent a stream of hot water running from the showerhead.  Jessie dodged to the side instinctively but Ryan, being a member of the electric type was unfazed by the water.  He turned it off after a few seconds and walked to where Jessie could see.  He was still a Pikachu.  Shaking himself dry again, he walked back out with Jessie to the front of the boat.

**So you see that the result is permanent as far that we know.  So, I'd say get used to the fact that you are a pokèmon.  Now, I have neglected to ask; how were you chosen and what are you doing all the way out here with your partner? **

Jessie explained everything from the moment of her capture to their last encounter with Terri and Clark.  She also added that they were venturing out to find a cure- that they believe existed.

**You're a pretty adventurous girl looking for trouble aren't you? **Ryan sighed.  Jessie told him most thought the same and that they were right.

"Well, James, I'll give you my room for tonight, you being my nephew and all. Puka and me will sleep up on top deck.  Bathroom is on your left; hot shower and everything.  Good night," Victor said before calling for Ryan (calling him 'Puka' of course) who bounded to his side.  

**Night, Jessie**

**Good night, sempai**


	7. The Night Goes On

La la la…the super update goes on…. Still old new stuff. SV is stupid, la la la. 

****

**Crimson Red ; Part II of the Point of Endurance Trilogy**

**By Silver Vaporeon**

Chapter 7- The Night Goes On… 

It was raining out in the forest where Mondo had his cabin.  Meowth sighed, having nothing to do.  Mondo had been out since three that afternoon making his routine deliveries.  It wasn't unusual to be left alone.  Jessie and James had often 'abandoned' him many times in caves, forests or after arguments but they always were together in the end.

 Meowth got up and looked out the window.  Rain streaked the windowpane and he could barely see a thing.  However, he did see two drenched figures walking past the cabin; two very familiar figures. 

"Terri and Clark…" he hissed and shut the curtain before running under the bed.  His heart was pounding as he lay under cover but a whole thirty minutes passed without as much as a knock on the door.  They hadn't even seen the cabin.  Meowth sighed with relief and emerged again.  He was silent for several hours, batting a small ball of yarn he found in one of Mondo's drawers around.  

Mondo was yet to return when night fell and Meowth, at the brink of complete boredom, took out his guitar and started tuning softly.   After tuning, he strummed his instrument once, glad to hear something besides his own voice.  Taking great care, he started playing a song that he had often sang softly in the quiet of the night after Jessie and James had gone to sleep, careful not to awaken the sleepers.  This time, he strummed and sang even more softly to the point where he was almost singing within himself.

_Aoi__ aoi shizuka na yoru ni wa   
Oira hitori de tetsugaku suru no nyaa   
  
Kusamura de mushi-tachi ga   
Koro-koro Chiri-chiri   
Oishisou ni naite 'ru kedo   
Konya wa tabete agenai no nyaa   
  
O-tsuki-sama ga anna ni marui nante   
Anna ni marui nante   
Anna ni...   
  
Sekai no donna maru yori marui nyaa   
Sekai no donna maru yori marui nyaa   
  
__Hiroi__ hiroi uchuu no doko ka ni   
Mou hitori no oira ga iru no nyaa   
  
Onaji you ni kusamura de   
Boro-boro Chara-rira   
Gitaa hiite iru no ka nyaa   
Nyaasu no uta wo utatte 'ru ka nyaa   
  
Hitori-kiri ga konna ni setsunai nante   
Konna ni setsunai nante   
Konna ni...   
  
Ima-goro minna nani shite iru no ka nyaa   
Ima-goro minna nani shite iru no ka nyaa   
  
Dare ka ni denwa shitaku natchatta nyaa_

The last cord vibrated longer than usual and Meowth put down his instrument with tears in his eyes.  "Jessie…James…Ah hope ya'll right…"

Mondo was exhausted.  Not only did he have his usual errands, he was given double duty for being off task for the several hours he was helping Jessie, James and Meowth and he had to be even more attentive, trying to pick up any information about Jessie or the Metamorphosis Project.  No one really seemed to know anything about Jessie's disappearance other than the rumor that she was 'fired' and no one talked about the Project even casually.  

Mondo trudged into the cabin at around ten at night and simply fell into bed. 

"Long day?" Meowth asked,  taking out a pre-made dinner out of the refrigerator for him.  

Mondo was silent for a long time and he nodded.  "Yes, its has been a long day.  I hope those two are safe tonight."

*********

It was dark and quiet in the Metamorphism Labs.  After the disappearance of Jessie, there was no research to be done.  Only the occasional messenger or scientist ventured into the rooms the project had occupied.  Two people occupied the main room with the glass capsules and it was anything but quiet. 

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Sarah screamed at David and hurled a chair towards his direction, which hit the wall and broke into several pieces.  "Damn it all!  Now what do we have, Dave?!" 

David fiddled with his glasses nervously but then got angry.  He ran forward and pinned Sarah against the opposite wall, taking her by surprise.

"Now you listen, you bitch.  It is not my fault that she escaped.  You calm down, stop blaming me and start using your head. WHO could have helped James escape and kidnap Jessie?  We saw nothing but shadows.  Everyone on the Project checked out."

"We don't have anything left, idiot!" Sarah ignored David's query.  "'Not my fault', not your fault, my ass! We're all screwed.  There's nothing left and we have yet to finish what Ms. Jezebelle has paid us to do. It's going to cost, Dave. It's going to cost.  We can't contact her unless we are sucidal and she's going to come any moment within the next week.  She won't be happy until she's married to James and if she isn't,  Jessie won't be for us to use at our digression and you're saying I should calm down?" Sarah snarled.

"Come on now.  We've got all agents on the alert.  There is no way she'll escape for good," he smiled wickedly.

He pulled her from the wall and they somehow got over to an empty table nearby and were sprawled across it, kissing hard and pressing against each other.  It was at this point Katherine stumbled across them.  The two screamed and fell off the table.  Katherine sweatdropped and decided to go to the subject at hand.

"Um…ok, lovebirds.  Enough of that; I've seen you do that so often it's not funny.  

"We've got two grunts with a pokèmon of James';  I say that it is the perfect way to track him down.  Our equipment won't work since James opened the hatch of the glass capsule early and set off the safety guards on all of the hatches.  So…I propose that we let Jezebelle's team work with this one."

Sarah and David nodded, still stunned at her sudden appearance.  Katherine pulled out a battered pokèball and sent it over the pokèball transporter.  "Done.  Come on, we've got a flight to catch to the Seafoam Islands.  We'll overlook the experimentation there."  Katherine smiled, amused that her two superiors were following like little children, afraid that she would raise attention to their flings. 

*****

just in case you're wondering, the song that Meowth sings is "Nyasu no Uta", the 2nd Japanese ending song for Pocket Monsters.


	8. Tricks of the Trade

Crimson Red ; Part II of the Point of Endurance Trilogy 

**By Silver Vaporeon**

Chapter 8- Tricks of the Trade 

James slipped out of his clothes and into the shower.  The water was on the warm side but James couldn't help but think he was washing in the heavy sliminess of swamp water.  Victor had explained bathing on a boat was hard and usually they used salt water for washing with when the tank ran low.  Perhaps it was salt water, he thought, as he dared not to taste it.

He finished his shower and put on his boxers and pants.  He went into the bedroom that Victor set up for him and laid out on the bed.  He sighed and stared at the ceiling.  

"Flare," Jessie barked softly and hopped onto the bed, snuggling close to James' head.  James turned his head to see a furry ball of fluff staring at him.  She gave a small bark and crawled onto his stomach.  

"Hey, Jess…long day, huh? I should have known you would have escaped," he gently scolded her and scratched her behind the ears.  Normally Jessie wouldn't have liked that very much but it felt soothing, like a massage, so she let him continue to scratch her.  "I wonder if my uncle would drop us off at the Seafoam Islands…come up with a plan…I bet that-"  James stopped short and sat up so fast that Jessie nearly fell to the floor.  "Weezing! I forgot about him! I sent him out and-!"  James was in a panic.  He had often forgotten to recall his beloved pokèmon but it had always followed him no matter where or how far he went.  It had been over four hours and there had been no sign of him at all.  James lay back down and cried.  Jessie rubbed against his warm back, purring, trying to cheer him up.  It was bad enough that she had made him upset, but having him experience an overload of depression was even worse.  

James cried out to Victor(who was driving the boat; hoping to cover more distance) if he had spotted a Weezing floating around.  Victor called back that he hadn't seen even a seaPidgy since they had left.  Emotionally and physically drained for the day, he headed back inside and went to sleep.  Maybe Weezing was lost for once. But he'd come back eventually.  It was hard to convince himself.  

*********

Weezing wasn't there the next morning and James was really beginning to worry.  At the table, Victor told him not to worry and that it was probably lost but wild pokèmon would take him in and being a loyal friend, it would eventually find them.  He slipped a plate of breakfast in front of James. Jessie barked at him, wanting a bit of his breakfast.  He slipped her a piece of bacon and took a cautious sip at his coffee.

"You think you can drop us off at the Seafoam Islands, Uncle? I know we talked about it before but is it really ok?" James asked.  Victor gave him a puzzled look.

"Of course! I live there, ya know.  You can rest up at my place and I'll give your folks back at Vermillion a call," Victor patted James on the back. "Well, finish up your breakfast, m'boy and give those dishes a good cleaning, you hear?"  He got up and left for the control room to set course for the Seafoam Islands.

"Flare…eon, flare? Eon?"  Jessie asked.  James understood her query without knowing most of her words, like reading a comic book in another language.  He grinned a bit weakly and explained that he had fabricated a story about how he had been on a boat trip around the world, doing pokèmon training on the side, but then he  was caught in a storm and reached Vermillion after weeks at sea.  He then had supposedly took on a job at Miyako's Café as a waiter and cook and lived with the family for several years in Vermillion, not wanting to face his parents.  Then Team Rocket came after him, hearing about his worth and thus he ran off and found an escape, which led to the present time.

"Flareon?" she cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah…I made it up all as I went along.  It ended up about having to go to the Islands for some family treasure so I can sell it and get home or something,"  James chuckled and took a bite out of his toast.

The sky was clear and the sea was calm when Jessie went out on deck.  Ryan was sitting near the bow meditating.  She approached him and naturally waited for him to notice her, as it was custom in Team Rocket to respect people of upper ranks who weren't bitter rivials.

**You know, you don't have to stick to Team Rocket customs any more, Jessie. I am fine with you treating me like any old person.**  He said when he noticed her. 

**Habit I guess. Only time I am respectful anyways,** Jessie shrugged.  **What are you doing?**

Ryan looked to the horizon. **Feeling for waves.  Seems like a nice day.**

Jessie agreed. They spent the next few hours talking to each other; about their past lives as humans and learned more about each other.  The subject eventually turned to why Jessie was out on the ocean with her human partner.

**I am convinced there is a cure.  Don't you agree?  Would you join us?** Jessie asked.  Ryan closed his ancient eyes and looked at her.

** You are young and wish to return to your true self.  As for me, I am old;  I've learned to accept what has been done is done.  But…I do wish at times to feel my human hands, to wiggle my fingers again and grip a pencil.  I long for the days where I used to surf as a pro all on my own.  I am satisfied with my form though.  The Rockets have stopped searching for me for decades so perhaps if there was a cure, I'd go for it.**

**So you do agree that there is a cure?**

**I am not sure about what to say about it.  One other pokèmorph I've known had died in experimentation.  The scientists were trying to find the answer to how to force a pokèmorph to change back to his or her original form.  Didn't work.**

**I thought there were only four.  You, me, Natasha and Boris** Jessie said, puzzled. She then remembered the two poor pokèmorphs still stuck at Rocket Labs.  She never even had a chance to say goodbye to them.  

**True, but only in the sense that the four pokèmorphs you are referring to are only the successful ones that Team Rocket came up with.  The organization has many alliances with scientists around the globe and there is one group whom they shared the information and experimentation with.  They've successfully made two pokèmorphs. The first one was originally a poison type but he died under strain when they tried to force him to resume his original shape so he's a ghost-type now. I never got to know the second one.**

Jessie remembered her own experience in the glass capsules and remembered the pain during the last few moments before she was rescued.  Could she have died yesterday?  Yesterday seemed so long ago, just like the last three weeks. 

**It is so different being a pokèmon.  You aren't treated as fair and only used as a tool…one is abused without knowing it.  I can't believe it. **Jessie felt guilty about her own pokèmon partners suddenly and wondered if they would truly be so loyal if they knew their true pasts.** I have a Wobbuffet and it would not leave me alone, often popping out of its pokèball. Why? Doesn't he remember a thing about his previous owner?**

**Traded?** Ryan asked skeptically.

**An accident! Lickitung's pokèball dropped into the machine slot by mistake.  I thought he'd come back like when we occasionally get separated but he didn't come back.  Tell me!** Jessie snarled. In their conversations, Ryan had told her he had worked on the development of pokèmon items.  Silph. Co was really co-owned by Team Rocket. They owned quite a number of the pokèmon centers, and 'game centers'.

**Do you really think those machines they use are really just to swap pokèmon fairly?  You've already told me about your experiences with that kid; Ash.  You were captured in a pokèball for the first time and you had your memory half-erased.  With a regular pokèmon, their whole past goes out the window; they remember nothing; or at least anything important enough to make them want to rebel and it enhances the bitter memories of their own freedoms. **

**With a trading machine, it goes further.  All memories of a previous owner are replaced and the pokèmon is made to believe that it has been with its new owner for its entire life.  Your Wobbuffet remembers all attacks and techniques and perhaps a few pokè-pals but its owner's image is erased and he sees you as the owner he's had for eternity.  Your Lickitung sees his new owner and knows nothing about you.  To him, his new owner was his since his birth.**

Jessie bit her lower lip in disgust.  It didn't matter if they were friends; a trainer would use his or her pokèmon for their own benefits, as tools.  Pokèmon were no different from trained circus animals, wagging their tails and following in their masters' footsteps.  People take them from their homes and split up families.  The trainers get the credit for the battle or the deed.  The trainers get the money as their prize.  Their 'partners' put their lives on the lines for meaningless battles in and out of the gym and for settling squabbles.  And for what? A pat on the head? A little treat? They weren't pokèmon partners.  They were pokèmon slaves.  

And what was she? Was she a slave? No, even she felt superior to 'normal' pokèmon; this could not be helped but she was angry just the same for she was treated like one.

**Thank you, Ryan-sempai.****  I don't need to know anymore.**

********

And that is the last of the super-update! Chapter Nine is where I need to start editing again (the last few chapters are half-edited. Whoo hoo.) so have fun and throw tomatoes at what I already have. Reviews always good. Yesness. You know, these last chapters have been sitting on my computer for over five months?  …Yeah. Busy and lazy person, I am. _-_ 

**Until the next update! **

**-SV **

**10-14-02******


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